Roger Baty/Turnagain Times
A racer launches out of the gate at the Coca Cola Holiday Classic Race Series at Mt. Alyeska.
A racer launches out of the gate at the Coca Cola Holiday Classic Race Series at Mt. Alyeska.
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Roger Baty/Turnagain Times A racer launches out of the gate at the Coca Cola Holiday Classic Race Series at Mt. Alyeska. |
By Terri Sherwood
Special to the Turnagain Times
UAA and Slovakia racer Kristina Repcinova made it four-for-four by winning the women’s slalom, the fourth and last of the Coca-Cola Holiday Classic series, Sunday, Dec. 30 at Mt. Alyeska. She also took home the Women’s Open overall award for the series. Alyeska Ski Club’s K c Kent, eight years younger than Repcinova, was second in the last slalom and also won the series Development Class for racers born 1993 and later. UAA racer Max Meir-Meitinger of Germany won the slalom and men’s Open overall. Jacob Dahl and Zachary Halverson tied for the men’s Development overall. Sunday’s race closed out four days of giant slaloms and slaloms.
A small but fast field of college and hot junior racers launched off the Steilhung at Mt. Alyeska to begin the alpine race season on Thursday, Dec. 27 in the giant slalom. Charles Christianson, with a dominant second run, edged Max Meier-Meitinger and caught first-run winner and younger brother Kieffer Christianson, who finished third. Only three and a half-seconds separated the top six, including Rory Casey, Ski Team hopeful John Love, and young Aaron Wiggins. Kristina Repcinova ran off with the women’s race followed by a raft of youngsters including Adrienne Wiggins and K C Kent. Thanks to resort snowguns and Mother Nature’s continuing bounty, racers used the top-of-Steilhung start and newly buffed-out Race Trail.
Kristina Repcinova, John Love, Max Meier-Meitinger, and Rory Casey demonstrated with power and speed why they were the top-seeded racers on Friday in the giant slalom. UAA’s Repcinova convincingly won the women’s race but close behind were the Youth Brigade. Only three and a half seconds separated the six juniors in second through seventh places; all were six and seven years younger than Repcinova. Second overall was Laura Crews; third was Adrienne Wiggins. US Ski Team hopeful Love won the men’s race, closely followed by UAA racer Meier-Meitinger in second and Casey in third. But only .61 seconds behind Casey was Junior Aaron Wiggins.
Kristina Repcinova and Kieffer Christianson each convincingly won by more than five seconds in the Coca-Cola Holiday Classic Slalom Saturday. Challenging courses slowed or eliminated some of the logical contenders but Adrienne Wiggins and Laura Crews turned in to finish second and third in the women’s race. Rory Casey and Kyle Therrien were second and third in the men’s race. Race conditions on the Mt. Alyeska Race Trail course were nearly perfect.
